Messages from the Phaedrus

Socrates: So now we had due amusement from the subject of speaking (Ou0kou=n h1dh pepai/sqw metri/wj h9mi=n ta\ peri\ lo/gwn); and as for you, go and tell Lysias (kai\ su/ ge e0lqw_n fra/ze Lusi/a|) that we two came down to the spring and the sacred place of the Nymphs and listened to speeches (o3ti nw_ kataba/nte e0j to\ Numfw~n na=ma/ te kai\ mousei=on h0kou/samen lo/gwn) which instructed us to tell this to Lysias and anyone else who composes speeches (oi4 e0pe/stellon le/gein Lusi/a| te kai\ ei1 tij a1lloj sunti/qhsi lo/gouj), and to Homer and anyone else in their turn who has composed verses, whether without music or to be sung (kai\ O(mh/rw| kai\ ei1 tij a1lloj au] poi/hsin yilh\n h2 e0n w|)dh|= sune/qhke), and thirdly to Solon and whoever writes compositions in the form of political speeches, which he calls laws (tri/ton de\ So/lwni kai\ o3stij e0n politikoi=j lo/goij no/mouj o0noma/zwn suggra/mmata e1grayen): if he has composed these things knowing how the truth is (ei0 me\n ei0dw_j h[| to\ a0lhqe\j e1xei sune/qhke tau=ta), able to help his composition when he is challenged on its subjects (kai\ e1xwn bohqei=n, ei0j e1legxon i0w_n peri\ w{n e1graye), and with the capacity, when speaking in his own person, to show that what he has written is of little worth (kai\ le/gwn au0to\j dunato\j ta\ gegramme/na fau=la a0podei=cai), then such a man ought not to derive his title from these, and be called after them (ou1 ti tw~nde e0pwnumi/an e1xonta dei= le/gesqai to\n toiou=ton), but rather from those things in which he is seriously engaged (a0ll’ e0f’ oi[j e0spou/daken e0kei/nwn).

Phaedrus: What are the titles you assign him then (Ti/naj ou]n ta\j e0pwnumi/aj au0tw~| ne/meij;)?

Socrates: To call him wise seems to me to be too much (To\ me\n sofo/n, w} Fai=dre, kalei=n e1moige me/ga ei]nai dokei=), and to be fitting only in the case of a god (kai\ qew~| mo/nw| pre/pein); to call him either a lover of wisdom – a philosopher – or something like that would both fit him more (to\ de\ h2 filo\sofon h2 toiou=to/n ti ma=llo/n te a2n au0tw~| kai\ a9rmo/ttoi) and be in better taste (kai\ e0mmeleste/rwj e1xoi).

Phaedrus: And not at all inappropriate (Kai\ ou0de/n ge a0po\ tro/pou).

Socrates: On the other hand, then, the man who does not possess things of more value than the things he composed or wrote (Ou0kou=n au] to\n mh\ e1xonta timiw&tera w{n sune/qhken h2 e1grayen), turning them upside down over a long period of time (a1nw ka/tw stre/fwn e0n xro/nw|), sticking them together and taking them apart (pro\j a1llhla kollw~n te kai\ kai\ a0fairw~n) – him, I think, you’ll rightly call a poet or author of speeches or writer of laws (e0n di/kh| pou poihth\n h2 lo/gwn suggrafe/a h2 nomogra/fon proserei=j;)?

Phaedrus: Of course (Ti/ mh/n;).

Socrates: Then tell that to your friend (Tau=ta toi/nun tw~| e9tai/rw| fra/ze).